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#The Norsemen believed that ravens
Hugin
and Munin
sat on the god Odin's shoulders and saw and heard all,[80] and a Raven banner
standard was carried by such Viking figures as the Norse Jarls of Orkney,[81]
King Canute
the Great of England, Norway and Denmark,[82] and
Harald
Hardrada.[83]
#In the British Isles, ravens also were
symbolic to the Celts. In Irish mythology, the goddess
Morr
n alighted on the hero C
Chulainn's shoulder in the form
of a raven after his death.[84]
#In Welsh mythology they were associated with the Welsh god Bran the Blessed,
whose name translates to "raven." According to the
Mabinogion,
Bran's head was buried in the White Hill of London as a talisman against
invasion.[85]
#A legend
developed that England would not fall to a foreign invader so long as there were
ravens at the Tower of London; although this is often thought to be an ancient
belief, the official Tower of London historian, Geoff Parnell, believes that
this is actually a romantic Victorian invention.[86] In fact, the Tower has
lacked ravens for long periods in the past; they were last reintroduced after
World War II. The government now maintains several birds on the grounds of the
Tower.[87] These birds have the primary feathers of one wing clipped
periodically to ensure that they cannot leave, though they are free to roam the
tower grounds. (Compare the legend of the king in the mountain.)
Modern scholars have made the claim
that since the Hebrew letters for Raven (Orev
ARB)
are the same as the letters used for ARAB (ARB)
that the original intention was the local Arabs brought Elijah food and that it
was only later that popular imagination turned
ARAV
(in Hebrew the word for Arab) into "OREV"
the word for Raven.
We disagree completely.
Nevertheless it is worth pointing out that the very way we pronounce the Hebrew
letters and form words out of them is based on tradition passed down from
generation to generation. If this tradition is discarded then our whole
understanding of the Bible collapses.
Karaites
The Karaites
were a sect who claimed that they wished to discard tradition and re-interpret
the Bible according to its simple meaning. In effect few of them agreed with
each other and now only a mostly non-observant few of their descendants remain.
Certain Christian enthusiasts and a Jewish eccentric are now attempting to
revive the Karaite
movement. The Karaites
in some ways are successors to a
sect of the 2nd Temple period known as "Tsadokim"
(Sadducees) and Beothians,
a related group who also claimed that they wanted to interpret Scripture only
according to its simple meaning.
Maimonides
(Rambam)
was himself a most rational original innovative thinker. He pointed out that
despite the rational the
Sadducess and
Beothians
claimed for their position their real intentions were atheistic. This is
correct, in effect they were
assimilationists to the
prevailing Hellenistic-Roman pagan philosophic world view.
Similarly we have Reform Jews who are now often openly agnostic, and over duly
liberal. In the beginning the Reform Jews claimed to be merely adopting more
lenient interpretations in the spirit of the Bible and Rabbinical Tradition.
5 SO HE WENT AND DID ACCORDING TO THE WORD OF THE LORD, FOR HE WENT AND STAYED
BY THE BROOK CHERITH, WHICH FLOWS INTO THE JORDAN. 6 THE RAVENS BROUGHT HIM
BREAD AND MEAT IN THE MORNING, AND BREAD AND MEAT IN THE EVENING; AND HE DRANK
FROM THE BROOK.
The Sages said that the bread and meat
were taken from the table of Ahab and brought by them to Elijah. Ahab himself
was quite a complex individual, as we shall see, and in some way he may have wanted
that such be the case.
7 AND IT HAPPENED AFTER A WHILE THAT THE BROOK DRIED UP, BECAUSE THERE HAD BEEN
NO RAIN IN THE LAND.
Elijah and the Widow
8 THEN THE WORD OF THE LORD CAME TO HIM, SAYING,
9 "ARISE, GO TO ZAREPHATH, WHICH BELONGS TO SIDON, AND DWELL THERE. SEE, I HAVE
COMMANDED A WIDOW THERE TO PROVIDE FOR YOU."
Zarephath
and Sidon
were in the territory of the Israelite Tribe of Asher (Joshua 19:28). At first
Israel had been unable to conquer these regions but we find Israelites settled
there in the time of King David (2-Samuel 24:6-7,
Daat
Mikra).
The name ZAREPHATH
was later to be applied to France or Northern France and is referred to in the
Book of Obadiah.
SIDON
was the major and senior city of the Phoenicians though the city of
Tyre
at times was more important.
There is a difference of opinion amongst
the Commentators as to whether the widow Elijah dwelt with was of Israelite or of non-Israelite stock.
10 SO HE AROSE AND WENT TO ZAREPHATH. AND WHEN HE CAME TO THE GATE OF THE CITY,
INDEED A WIDOW WAS THERE GATHERING STICKS. AND HE CALLED TO HER AND SAID,
"PLEASE BRING ME A LITTLE WATER IN A CUP, THAT I MAY DRINK."
11 AND AS SHE WAS GOING TO GET IT, HE CALLED TO HER AND SAID, "PLEASE BRING ME A
MORSEL OF BREAD IN YOUR HAND."
12 SO SHE SAID, "AS THE LORD YOUR GOD LIVES, I DO NOT HAVE BREAD, ONLY A HANDFUL
OF FLOUR IN A BIN, AND A LITTLE OIL IN A JAR; AND SEE, I AM GATHERING A COUPLE
OF STICKS THAT I MAY GO IN AND PREPARE IT FOR MYSELF AND MY SON, THAT WE MAY EAT
IT, AND DIE."
13 AND ELIJAH SAID TO HER, "DO NOT FEAR; GO AND DO AS YOU HAVE SAID, BUT MAKE ME
A SMALL CAKE FROM IT FIRST, AND BRING IT TO ME; AND AFTERWARD MAKE SOME FOR
YOURSELF AND YOUR SON.
This was the last of the food the woman
had for herself and her son. She had intended to prepare and partake of it with
her child and prepare for death. Elijah was requesting that they have faith and
give this sustenance unto him.
14 FOR THUS SAYS THE LORD GOD OF ISRAEL: "THE BIN OF FLOUR SHALL NOT BE USED UP,
NOR SHALL THE JAR OF OIL RUN DRY, UNTIL THE DAY THE LORD SENDS RAIN ON THE
EARTH."
15 SO SHE WENT AWAY AND DID ACCORDING TO THE WORD OF ELIJAH; AND SHE AND HE AND
HER HOUSEHOLD ATE FOR MANY DAYS.
16 THE BIN OF FLOUR WAS NOT USED UP, NOR DID THE JAR OF OIL RUN
DRY, ACCORDING TO THE WORD OF THE LORD WHICH HE SPOKE BY ELIJAH.
ELIJAH REVIVES THE WIDOW'S SON
17 NOW IT HAPPENED AFTER THESE THINGS THAT THE SON OF THE WOMAN WHO OWNED THE
HOUSE BECAME SICK. AND HIS SICKNESS WAS SO SERIOUS THAT THERE WAS NO BREATH LEFT
IN HIM.
18 SO SHE SAID TO ELIJAH, "WHAT HAVE I TO DO WITH YOU, O MAN OF GOD? HAVE YOU
COME TO ME TO BRING MY SIN TO REMEMBRANCE, AND TO KILL MY SON."
19 AND HE SAID TO HER, "GIVE ME YOUR SON." SO HE TOOK HIM OUT OF HER ARMS AND
CARRIED HIM TO THE UPPER ROOM WHERE HE WAS STAYING, AND LAID HIM ON HIS OWN BED.
20 THEN HE CRIED OUT TO THE LORD AND SAID, "O LORD MY GOD, HAVE YOU ALSO BROUGHT
TRAGEDY ON THE WIDOW WITH WHOM I LODGE, BY KILLING HER SON."
21 AND HE STRETCHED HIMSELF OUT ON THE CHILD THREE TIMES, AND CRIED OUT TO THE
LORD AND SAID, "O LORD MY GOD, I PRAY, LET THIS CHILD'S SOUL COME BACK TO HIM."
Elisha
the disciple of Elijah was to encounter a similar situation and there scripture
describes the application of mouth-to-mouth resuscitation (2-Kings 4:34).
Radak
comments on this:
# He did this to revive his
breathing process and to revive him with the natural body heat emanating from
his mouth and body. In most cases miracles take place when some degree of
natural agency has also been applied. #
This is it. Miracles happen. If
we reach a minimum level we may sometimes almost be able to rely upon miracles.
Nevertheless all available natural means of salvation must also be utilized.
This is how the Almighty has designed HIS creation.
22 THEN THE LORD HEARD THE VOICE OF ELIJAH; AND THE SOUL OF THE CHILD CAME BACK
TO HIM, AND HE REVIVED.
The miracle happened. God heard the
prayer of Elijah. It was a miracle even though natural agencies were also
involved.
23 AND ELIJAH TOOK THE CHILD AND BROUGHT HIM DOWN FROM THE UPPER ROOM INTO THE
HOUSE, AND GAVE HIM TO HIS MOTHER. AND ELIJAH SAID, "SEE, YOUR SON LIVES!"
24 THEN THE WOMAN SAID TO ELIJAH, "NOW BY THIS I KNOW THAT YOU ARE A MAN OF GOD,
AND THAT THE WORD OF THE LORD IN YOUR MOUTH IS THE TRUTH."
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